After 2.5 years of discussing the cultural memory and career arc of bands and artists through their late night tv show performances, we're taking our first hiatus. And there was only one thing we could do to celebrate: talk about ska for over 3 hours. It's our GRAB BAG: SKA-TACULAR!

And there was only one person that could pick it up with us: best friend of the show and creator of our theme song Kenny! The guys and Kenny surf all the waves of ska, discussing its roots, suits, and sixty years of upstrokes. Inventors of the genre The Skatalites reunite for a performance on Conan in 1994. The two-tone era is equal parts catchy and serious with incredible clips of The Selecter and The Specials. Fishbone sets the stage for 3rd wave, including a beach party movie cameo that requires discussion. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish encapsulate that beautiful moment in 1997 when ska dominated our lives. And The Interrupters have the first big ska hit in 20 years after supporting Ron Paul for President.

Want to learn the name of almost every ska band? Listen to this episode! But if you want to watch along with us, check out the links below for the performances discussed this week!

We'll be back sometime in 2026. Skank on.

Police Woman by The Skatalites, 3/15/1994 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Murder/Danger/Missing Words by The Selecter, 2/19/1980 on The Old Grey Whistle Test

Gangsters/Too Much Too Young by The Specials, 4/19/1980 on Saturday Night Live

Ugly/When Problems Arise by Fishbone, 1987 on The Late Show with Joan Rivers

The Impression That I Get/The Rascal King by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 1997 on MTV Motel California

Sell Out by Reel Big Fish, 7/28/1997 on Oddville, MTV

She's Kerosone/Take Back the Power by The Interrupters, 7/26/2018 on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

This is a band that defined early 2000s emo for so many (including us). And it turns out the band drama was even messier than their lyrics. It's TAKING BACK SUNDAY week!

The guys have an important show announcement up top before reexamining their short-lived intense fandom with these Long Island heroes. It takes a while to get through the early rise and messy bitch drama of Tell All Your Friends before we get to some performances, including an era-defining acoustic performance on Last Call with Carson Daly. Alex and Jon discover they remembered this band all wrong with the two-album run of Fred Mascherino being by far the best era of the band. And stick around for a critical analysis of Denny's 2008 emo/screamo adopt-a-band all nighter menu featuring a Hoobastank burrito.

Want to watch along with us? Check out the links below for the performances discussed this week!

Cute Without the E (Cut From the Team)/Message in a Bottle, 9/9/2003 on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

You're So Last Summer, 11/11/2003 on Last Call with Carson Daly

A Decade Under the Influence, 10/8/2004 on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

MakeDamnSure, 7/24/2006 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Liar (It Takes One to Know One), 12/20/2006 on The Late Show with David Letterman

Sink Into Me/New Again, 6/2/2009 on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Better Homes and Gardens with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, 7/22/2015 on The Alternative Press Music Awards

Wake up! This LA by way of Armenia heavy metal/death metal/middle eastern/jazz fusion four-piece stunned mainstream culture at every turn. It's SYSTEM OF A DOWN week!

We recap the rich and tragic familial history and musical origins of Serj Tankian and co. before jumping into 3 tv performances across the span of 3 years for SOAD's classic self-titled debut. That includes a pretty ridiculous Fred Durst sidebar and our triumphant return to the short-lived TV home of late 90s nu-metal, Farmclub.com. Toxicity becomes huge amid 9/11, with a rare TV clip of Chop Suey! on MTV Latin America. And we return to Fuse's Uranium with Mistress Juliya Chernetsky to unfortunately find her trying to survive the interview from hell.

Want to watch along with us? Check out the links below for the performances discussed this week!

War?, 11/9/1998 on NPA (French TV)

Spiders, 3/16/2000 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Sugar/Suggestions, 6/12/2000 on Farmclub.com

Chop Suey!, 10/24/2002 on MTV VMAs Latin America

Interview (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), 2005 on Fuse's Uranium

B.Y.O.B/Aerials, 5/7/2005 on Saturday Night Live